By the Light of the Flickering TV
by willowwood
Summary: A little sentimental AU following the episode ‘Two Bodies in the Lab’.


**Title:** By the Light of the Flickering TV

**Author:** willowwood

**Rating:** PG

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters from Bones, I just like to believe that I do.

**Summary:** A little sentimental AU following the episode 'Two Bodies in the Lab'.

**Spoilers:** 'Two Bodies in the Lab'

**Authors Note: **After reading all the wonderful stories on here, the fluff just kinda rubbed off on me. Hope you enjoy this, and reviews/comments are greatly appreciated.

**By the Light of the Flickering TV**

Dr Temperance Brennan sat staring at the TV screen as it's bright light cast dancing shadows around the darkened hospital room. The film they had been watching finished about 3 hours ago, an hour after which she should probably have been tucked up in bed; but she wasn't tired, didn't think that she'd ever be tired again, or be able to have a good nights sleep at least.

Don't get her wrong she'd tried numerous times to drift off but it was no use. Every time she closed her eyes she could hear the barking of the dogs. As it echoed off of desolate brick walls. Or feel chills running through her entire body, from fear and desperation as Kentons hands wrapped around her hair, pulling it sharply.

She could still feel the rag pressed against her mouth, it's taste and smell, like petrol and dirt. She fought the urge to gag, feeling as though she wanted to scrub her teeth, but she'd already done that. Too many times to count. Until her gums bled and it still hadn't been any use.

In the bed next to the chair, Booth had fallen asleep even before the film had finished. He now lay with a pained expression on his face as though even in his sleep he could still feel the pain of his injuries. She winced slightly at the feelings of guilt that those thoughts stirred. Even though she knew in a way it wasn't entirely her fault, she also knew that it should be her in that bed, instead she was hiding away in a hospital room with a bruise that simply twinged every time she moved.

Without thinking about it her hand comes up to press gently against the cross shaped bandage that they'd fastened against the egg sized bump on her forehead, and for some bizarre reason she briefly wondered what everybody would say back at the lab. Most of her colleagues would give her a lingering look, quizzical expressions on their features before looking away quickly, not wanting to make eye contact with the renowned and hostile forensic anthropologist.

Zach and Hodgins will be worried, even though they'd try to show it casually, and Hodgins would most likely make some sarcastic comment. Dr Goodman would probably chastise her for going into work so soon before smiling and telling her to take it easy. Angela on the other hand would completely over react, asking her if she's ok, running around after her for days on end, making coffee, buying lunch, possibly even bringing gifts.

Temperance shook her head at the thought and glanced back up at the TV screen. When the credits had disappeared, she'd turned it down worried that the commercials would wake Booth up, but he hadn't even stirred and the room now sat in silence.

Every now and then she thought she could hear the faint sound of footsteps pacing up and down the corridor. Nurses moving from shift to shift, janitors, doctors all moving freely from one place to another. She kept expecting them to come in and check on Booth. Then they'd tell her that she shouldn't be there, and she'd have to go home to an empty house.

She didn't even want to think about the state of her kitchen, cleaning wasn't one of the things she really wanted to do at that precise moment, or in the near future most likely. Hopefully forensics would have moved most of the rubble, during their tests but she doubted very much that it'd be liveable.

Closing her eyes she tried to get rid of the memories that came flooding back at the thoughts of home, and ran a nervous hand through her hair. Biting her lip she rested back against the chair and a pain shot through her shoulders, her forehead doing a slight twinge. Ignoring the pain she took a deep breath.

At the bottom of Booths bed lay a bunch of flowers that Angela had dropped of earlier that day, a refreshing blend of wild flowers. They weren't exactly a guy thing, but she'd commented that maybe they'd brighten the place up a bit. Make it look less like a prison camp, and it worked, in a sense.

Yet even under the faint smell of flowers that filled the room, the hospital still held that familiar smell of death. She realised that buckets of disinfectant had probably been used to try and cover it but she knew that smell too well, faced it everyday and it still clung to everything in the building.

Again everywhere had fell silent as her breath steadied and for the first time that day she felt sleep begin to over take her, when suddenly a whisper broke the silence.

"Bones…..?"

She spun quickly towards Booth, and a wave of dizziness over came her, clamping her eyes shut once more her hand shot to her forehead as though it would help steady her seated form.

Opening her eyes slowly she was confronted by a severely bruised and half naked Special Agent Seeley Booth watching her intently.

At her wince he watched her concerned "Sorry" he whispered, his expression soft as a slight smirk graced her features.

"What?" he asked suddenly confused.

"Nothing" she began defensively as she turned to face him fully "I thought you were asleep?" In reply his good shoulder did a half hearted shrug,

"I was,…. I thought you'd gone home", it was more a statement than a question, and his face held a knowing smile.

"I probably should have, it's just that the nurses never came, and I….." she drifted off, slightly embarrassed.

"I should go" she added quickly, as she grabbed her purse and moved to get up. She stopped dead as Booth moved quickly and grabbed her wrist, she turned to him shocked and his hand quickly relaxed.

"You don't have to, I mean if you don't want to" she sat back down with a smile, her hand coming to rest on the bed.

"Thanks" she added, her other hand coming to rest against the necklace she wore, the beads twisted through her fingers her head once again turned towards the flickering TV screen.

"What happened to the movie" Booth asked, following her gaze.

"It ended at about 11 o'clock , you fell asleep" she said, he nodded "yeah it's beginning to be a habit, I did it the other night about halfway through Sunset Boulevard".

"I don't know what that is" she replied. Booth shook his head, but a slight smirk graced his features.

"A very good movie that you should watch sometime", he moved to sit up, before relaxing against the headrest. She smiled in reply

Then, with what constituted as casual chatter covered, a silence quickly fell between them, and neither could quite understand why it felt a little awkward.

Had something changed between them? Was it today at the warehouse, they'd clung to one another for so long; even after the paramedics had arrived, just holding one another waiting for their breathing to level out, feeling safe in one another's arms.

It must have been something, after all since when did Dr Temperance Brennan sit at anyone's bedside until 4 o'clock in the morning watching the television cast dancing shadows against the walls.

She didn't know how it happened, but she suddenly stopped to find herself pulling at the hem of her outfit. With her head still down she lifted her eyes to glance sideways at Booth.

He was now slightly leant forward resting on his good arm he watched her intently, she smiled shyly, unsure for the first time of what to say or do.

She sighed and inwardly cursed herself, something was definitely different.

"How are you feeling?" he suddenly asked his voice sounding small and distant amongst the silence. She opened her mouth to answer but stopped, as he held up a finger

"- Ah, I will not accept answers of three words or less" he quickly cut in, a line formed across her brow, he only raised his in determination

"Angela mentioned that 'I'm Fine' was becoming your catchphrase" the line across her brow deepened further. Yet she wasn't sure whether it was because of what he'd said or the idea that him and Angela had been talking about her and with Angela's usual train of thought she was quite nervous about what exactly had been discussed.

But what else could she actually tell them, the truth? That she was tired, ached all over and was scared to go to sleep because every time she tried she was back in that warehouse? Why should she? She didn't want their sympathy, she'd have enough of that as it was without any encouragement from her. 'I'm fine' was a neutral comment that neither constituted a positive or negative feeling, it was just fine, simple, and to the point.

"Well?" Booth prodded at her silence, but he regretted it instantly as his eyes connected with hers and for the first time, he recognised all the pain, and heartbreak she'd been trying to hide for so long and slowly a single tear lead a trail down her cheek. She wiped it away as quick as it had appeared, and smiled thinly.

Any tiredness that surrounded him dissipated as he suddenly felt panicked. For the second time in one day he was seeing his strong independent partner cry, and he had no idea what to do. So forgetting all the boundaries that up until today had been set up around them, he took hold of the hand that lay next to him. For a brief moment he anticipated a slap around the head, and he closed his eyes in preparation of the impact.

When nothing happened for a few seconds he opened them again to find a now dry eyed Brennan watching him curiously.

"What are you doing?" her voice cracked slightly, again his good side shrugged

"Nothing" he replied simply, she smiled and shook her head slightly, then immediately regretted it as a pain once again shot through it. He gently squeezed her hand in encouragement

"I must be worse than I thought" she began studying their entwined hands "cause I'd have kicked your ass for this by now" he grinned at her sarcasm and liked to think that it was only partly true.

"So how are you really feeling?" he asked again emphasising the 'are'. With her free hand she moved her hair away from her face, and with a serious expression replied

"Like I've been kidnapped" It was a cryptic answer but Booth felt as though he was actually getting somewhere for once, again a tear escaped down her cheek but this time he wiped it away before she had chance.

For a moment his hand lingered on her cheek, the other still holding her hand. "It's alright to feel scared Bones" he whispered dropping his hand on to the bed, she nodded and wiped at her eyes before anymore tears could escape.

Again the room fell silent, and a nurses footsteps could be heard as they retreated once more down the corridor. Booths gaze was pulled away from the door as Brennan took in a deep breath.

"I'm just so tired" she blinked slowly, her voice barely above a whisper "every time I close my eyes I see his face, the gun pointed towards me, the dogs barking and growling, and no matter what I do, how many sheep I count I just can't get rid of them"

"Bones that's normal, you've been through something dramatic and scary, you're allowed to be frightened once in a while" she looked down at their still clasped hands and suddenly she felt extremely tired again, blinking slowly she watched Booth curiously before closing her eyes for a moment.

"Why don't you lie back and try and get some rest?" he asked his eyes showing all the concern he felt. Her eyes widened and she wondered whether or not he'd listened to a word she'd just said, but he waved it away with a flick of the wrist,

"Hey I'm here to watch your back" he said puffing out his chest, she laughed slightly and shuffled down in the chair once more, resting her head against the pillow.

"My knight in shining FBI armour huh?" she asked, he chuckled at the reference

"I don't know what that means,…..but yeah I guess I am" he grinned and slowly her eyes began to close. After a moment her breathing began to steady, and he relaxed back in the bed, stroking her hand with his thumb gently.

"Booth, we shouldn't do…." she whispered, as she began to drift off.

"Shih," he cut her off "When we're back at the office everything will be back to normal I….." he didn't get to finish the sentence before she'd finally succumbed to sleep.

The next morning Temperance awoke wondering why she felt stiff and slightly uncomfortable.

Opening her eyes slowly, she followed the path of her hand and found it still gently clasped with Booths. Who was still asleep in the bed next to her, a small smile at the corner of his mouth. She watched him for a moment and briefly wondered who had opened the blinds as sunlight cast a bright glow around the entire room.

Her thoughts were suddenly broken as the cell phone in her bag began to shrill loudly. Loosing Booths hand she quickly scrambled to answer it before it woke him up, but she was too late and slowly his eyes opened to look at her confused. She mouthed her apologies before lifting it to her ear.

"Brennan? David hi." at the sound of David's name she thought she heard Booth let out a large sigh, but as she looked towards him he was facing the doorway

"Yeah I'm fine, feeling a lot better thank you. I had a great nights sleep" a small smile crossed Booths face as he turned is head towards her, and she couldn't help but reflect it, it quickly disappeared at David's next question.

"Dinner? Yeah…err…..dinner would be lovely. Today?" She hesitated slightly, Booth was now watching her and he nodded his head in approval "That'd be great, ok then I see you at about 2 o'clock."

She hung up and was greeted by a smiling Booth, as she put the phone back in her bag she noticed that it's display already read 12 o'clock.

"It's that time already?"

"Yeah," he smiled sheepishly "we kinda slept the clock round. But you should probably go, have to get ready for dinner after all, your dress is beautiful but….kinda wrinkled" even to her his cheerful tone sounded slightly forced.

She glanced down at her dress embarrassed and laughed slightly, with a smile she stood and headed for the door. As she reached it she stopped and turned towards her partner.

"Thank you, Booth…..for everything. I'll see you tomorrow ok?"

"Yeah, like I said everything back to normal……hey when I'm better, I might even let you kick my ass"

At Temperance's blush Booth couldn't help but chuckle slightly, and with a quick smile she disappeared out the room, as Booth let out a frustrated sigh.

**The End**


End file.
